Parent Training Guide
Staff training on how to conduct parent training sessions.
Presented by: Amara Castro M.A., BCBA
What is Parent Training?
Parent training is a service provided by ABA providers. An allotted amount of hours per week/month is designated to parent training per client. These sessions are dedicated to educating and training parents on all things ABA and how to apply it to their child’s individualized needs.
“Parents possess the powerful ability to make a positive difference in their children’s lives. Although each autism treatment program looks different, they all rely on parental involvement.” — National Institute of Mental Health, 2004
Goals of Parent Training
ABA-Focused Goals
- Parents/caregivers identify functions of behaviors
- Determine appropriate antecedents and consequences
- Utilize antecedent strategies, extinction, and follow through
Personal Goals
- What goals do the parents have for their child?
- What areas do they want to see change?
- Examples: grocery store without eloping, dinner at table without iPad
Tip: Incorporating personal goals into the child’s program motivates parents to learn and implement ABA strategies.
Getting Started
- Inform parents of policies, assessments, forms, schedules, and expectations
- Explain the “what”, “why”, and goals of parent training
- Review initial report
- Build rapport with parents
Building Rapport
- Ask about their interests and concerns
- Listen actively
- Show genuine interest in their child
- Be consistent and reliable
Creating a Plan
- Have a Plan A and Plan B
- Bring preferred items if needed
- Focus on 1-2 concepts at a time
- Model activities and discuss programs during activity
- Review previous data
Introducing ABA to Parents
Key Topics to Cover
| Topic | Description |
|---|---|
| The Science | Discuss the evidence base behind ABA |
| The Team | BCBAs, RBTs, BCaBAs, Admin roles |
| Expectations | Session expectations and structure |
| Individualization | How ABA is customized using assessments |
ABA Breakdown for Parents
- Prerequisites - Foundational skills that build toward bigger goals
- A-B-Cs of Behavior - Antecedent, Behavior, Consequence
- Proactive Strategies - Preventing behaviors
- Reactive Strategies - Responding to behaviors
- Generalization - Skills across settings
- Maintenance - Keeping skills long-term
Functions of Behavior
Explain to parents using these indicators:
| Function | Before Behavior | After Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Attention | Was receiving attention, then it stopped | Received attention (positive or negative) |
| Access/Tangible | Preferred item taken away or denied | Given preferred item or activity |
| Escape | Instructed to complete a task | Task expectation removed |
| Sensory | Occurred alone, no tasks given | Occurs across all people/settings |
Reinforcement
Positive Reinforcement (Something Given)
To increase behavior:
- Praise/compliments
- High fives, tickles, smiling, thumbs up
- Money
- Access to preferred toys/electronics
- Preferred food
Note: Don’t make child work for snacks, lunch, or dinner.
Negative Reinforcement (Something Removed)
To increase behavior:
- Aversive noise removed
- Pain removed
- Annoying situations ended
- Aversive tasks removed
Proactive Strategies (Antecedent Modifications)
Teach parents to prevent behaviors from happening:
- Altering the environment
- Priming - Preparing child for what’s coming
- First, Then (Premack Principle)
- Easy, Easy, Hard (Behavior Momentum)
- Providing Choices
- Noncontingent Reinforcement
Key: Determine strategy based on function and what instruction type the child responds to best. Use visuals and prompts—parents need them too!
Reactive Strategies (Consequences)
Teach parents how to react when behavior occurs:
- Tell, Show, Do
- Token Economy
- Teaching Better Behavior (DRA)
- Extinction by Function
- Blocking Problematic Behavior
- Managing Repetitive Behaviors
Prompting Parents
Just like we have a prompt hierarchy with clients, use one with parents:
- Visual prompts
- Verbal prompts
- Model prompts
- Question prompts
- Positional prompts
Bribery vs. Reinforcement
| Bribery | Reinforcement |
|---|---|
| Occurs AFTER problem behavior starts | Given AFTER appropriate behavior |
| Offered to stop problem behavior | Given contingent on desired behavior |
| One-time exchange | Systematic approach to increase behavior |
| Does not build skills | Builds learner’s repertoire |
Example: Johnny Doesn’t Want Spaghetti
Bribery Scenario:
- Johnny cries and throws himself on floor: “No spaghetti, I want chicken nuggets!”
- Mom says: “First stop crying, then chicken nuggets”
- Johnny stops crying, mom makes chicken nuggets
- What happens next time Johnny doesn’t want dinner?
Reinforcement Scenario:
- BEFORE dinner, mom says: “We’re having spaghetti tonight. I made chicken nuggets too.”
- “First 3 bites of spaghetti, then chicken nuggets”
- Johnny cries and throws himself down
- Mom says: “I see you’re upset. When you’re calm, you can sit at the table. First spaghetti, then chicken nuggets.”
Reinforcing Parents
Remember to reinforce parents when they:
- Implement strategies correctly
- Try new approaches
- Show consistency
- Ask good questions
- Report data accurately
Handling Difficult Questions
Parents may ask tough questions regardless of when their child was diagnosed:
- Why does my child have autism?
- Is my child worse/better than others you’ve worked with?
- Will my child recover?
- Should I vaccinate my child?
- Why does my child do that?
- Is that typical of other children?
- What about my child’s future—will they have a job?
Approach: Be honest, compassionate, and focus on the child’s individual strengths and progress. Refer medical questions to appropriate professionals.